Wamoon, Yiruk, Woomom
The first to travel to Wilsons Prom were the Koories over 6000 years ago. The area was well used as seafood and shells were quite often sought after in the Aboriginal community and Wisons prom was full of both. Many dreamtime stories such as Lo-an and Bollum-Baukan have mentions of Wilsons Prom. The Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Gunaikurnai Identify the Wilsons Promontory National Park as their traditions country/land.
It is thought that the park may have been used as what was known as the land bridge, which was a way used to reach Tasmania when it was only aboriginals who inhabited the area.
The country was seen as very rich and wonderful due to the amount of sea life (such as shellfish.) The forest also provided many great resources for survival such as timber for huts, and bark for shelters and weapons.
When the area was discovered by the European explorers sometime during the 1790's, the resources available and the land available began to deteriorate and the tribes could not live in the area any more. The remaining members of the tribe were sent to live in an 'aboriginal mission'. These missions where quite a big thing at the time due to many Aboriginal people across the country not being able to survive on what they once could any more.
One of the dream time stories was Port Albert the Frog and the Whiterock. Below is the story taken from the 'East Gippsland Catchment Authority' website:
Long time ago there lived this Giant Frog, who's name was Tidelek.
One day Tidelek was sick because he drank up all this water in the land.
The next day Tidelek felt a bit better but was feeling sad, for what he had done.
That day, Tidelek was walking along the shores of Port Albert thinking how he was going to release this water back into the bay.
A mob of Kurnai/Gunai (Blackfellas) people and animals saw him slowly walking in the bay. They wander over to him and they asked him what was wrong. Tidelek said "I am still sick from drinking up all the water, can you help me free it".
The Kurnai/Gunai and animals put their heads together to think of what to do? They all agreed to do something funny! The Kangaroo went first and did a funny dance; everybody laughed except Tidelek.
A Kurnai/Gunai man went second and told a funny story; everybody continued to laugh except for Tidelek. The Eel went third and got up on his tail to wriggle; Tidelek thought the wriggle looked funny and began to laugh, he laughed so hard all the water came flooding out of his eyes and mouth creating this flood of water that went back into the bays. Many Kurnai/Gunai and Animals drowned that were caught in the flood; some were stuck on marooned forming islands. Borun was a Kurnai/Gunai leader and a magic man who had the totem of a black pelican.
Borun went out to rescue the others and left his wife till last; when he returned she was gone; she left her possum skin cloak sitting on a log and standing up looking like it was her waiting for him. To avenge the death of his wife; Borun painted himself up with pipeclay and changed back to a pelican to fly off; he was frozen to stone as it was against traditional law for any animals to have traditional markings. Now all the pelicans carry the white markings of the pipeclay which as made them now the colour of black and white. Borun now sits as a white rock in the catchments of Port Albert.
As told by: Robert Andy Tatungoloong Kurnai/Gunai
It is thought that the park may have been used as what was known as the land bridge, which was a way used to reach Tasmania when it was only aboriginals who inhabited the area.
The country was seen as very rich and wonderful due to the amount of sea life (such as shellfish.) The forest also provided many great resources for survival such as timber for huts, and bark for shelters and weapons.
When the area was discovered by the European explorers sometime during the 1790's, the resources available and the land available began to deteriorate and the tribes could not live in the area any more. The remaining members of the tribe were sent to live in an 'aboriginal mission'. These missions where quite a big thing at the time due to many Aboriginal people across the country not being able to survive on what they once could any more.
One of the dream time stories was Port Albert the Frog and the Whiterock. Below is the story taken from the 'East Gippsland Catchment Authority' website:
Long time ago there lived this Giant Frog, who's name was Tidelek.
One day Tidelek was sick because he drank up all this water in the land.
The next day Tidelek felt a bit better but was feeling sad, for what he had done.
That day, Tidelek was walking along the shores of Port Albert thinking how he was going to release this water back into the bay.
A mob of Kurnai/Gunai (Blackfellas) people and animals saw him slowly walking in the bay. They wander over to him and they asked him what was wrong. Tidelek said "I am still sick from drinking up all the water, can you help me free it".
The Kurnai/Gunai and animals put their heads together to think of what to do? They all agreed to do something funny! The Kangaroo went first and did a funny dance; everybody laughed except Tidelek.
A Kurnai/Gunai man went second and told a funny story; everybody continued to laugh except for Tidelek. The Eel went third and got up on his tail to wriggle; Tidelek thought the wriggle looked funny and began to laugh, he laughed so hard all the water came flooding out of his eyes and mouth creating this flood of water that went back into the bays. Many Kurnai/Gunai and Animals drowned that were caught in the flood; some were stuck on marooned forming islands. Borun was a Kurnai/Gunai leader and a magic man who had the totem of a black pelican.
Borun went out to rescue the others and left his wife till last; when he returned she was gone; she left her possum skin cloak sitting on a log and standing up looking like it was her waiting for him. To avenge the death of his wife; Borun painted himself up with pipeclay and changed back to a pelican to fly off; he was frozen to stone as it was against traditional law for any animals to have traditional markings. Now all the pelicans carry the white markings of the pipeclay which as made them now the colour of black and white. Borun now sits as a white rock in the catchments of Port Albert.
As told by: Robert Andy Tatungoloong Kurnai/Gunai